Featured Reviews

Askerne Winery was established in 1993 when John and Kathryn
Loughlin planted 11 ha of white varieties on the Te Mata – Mangateretere Road
at Havelock North, just down the road from John’s father’s Waimarama Estate. They did not plant reds so as to not conflict
with Waimarama Estate’s production. They
eventually planted 9 ha of reds in 2000 after John’s father sold, this giving
them a vineyard offering a broad range of wines. The Loughlins have had a number of different
winemakers, but I believe that the wines have taken a noticeable step-up with
Ant Mackenzie coming on board in 2013.
The arrival of the talented Hayden Penny has furthered the progress, and
both Ant and Hayden have given fine-tuning viticultural advice to the Loughlin
family so the fruit is in even better condition. Hayden Penny has now taken over the
winemaking role, joined at the start of May this year by Oliver Styles from
Vidal Estate. Ant now takes a less
hands-on, but still important consultant’s role. The advances and developments at Askerne are
looking pretty exciting. Here I review
new releases of Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Syrah and the
Bordeaux-varietal wines. www.askerne.co.nz

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2017

Chardonnay from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

18-/20

Bright, light golden-yellow colour with some depth, paler
edged. The nose is softly full with
moderately deep aromas of yellow stonefruits entwined with notes of flinty,
minerally lees and some sweet, nutty oak.
Creamy barrel-ferment and savoury mealy layers unfold to add
richness. Medium-bodied, the palate is rich
and rounded with plush flavours of savoury yellow stonefruits along with mealy
notes, subtle creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak. The flavours are balanced and integrated and
show good mouthfeel and presence. Light
acidity provides freshness and tension as the wine flows to a soft finish. This is a rich and plush, integrated
Chardonnay with stonefruit, nutty and mineral notes with good mouthfeel and
weight. Match with roasted pork over the
next 4 years. Clones Mendoza, 15, 95 and
6, fully barrel-fermented, partially with indigenous yeasts to 13.0% alc., the
wine aged approx. 10 months in 35% new oak, undergoing 100% MLF. 18.0-/20
Jun 2018 RRP $22.90

Bright, light golden-yellow colour with some depth, paler
edged. The nose is softly full with
moderately deep aromas of yellow stonefruits entwined with notes of flinty,
minerally lees and some sweet, nutty oak.
Creamy barrel-ferment and savoury mealy layers unfold to add
richness. Medium-bodied, the palate is rich
and rounded with plush flavours of savoury yellow stonefruits along with mealy
notes, subtle creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak. The flavours are balanced and integrated and
show good mouthfeel and presence. Light
acidity provides freshness and tension as the wine flows to a soft finish. This is a rich and plush, integrated
Chardonnay with stonefruit, nutty and mineral notes with good mouthfeel and
weight. Match with roasted pork over the
next 4 years. Clones Mendoza, 15, 95 and
6, fully barrel-fermented, partially with indigenous yeasts to 13.0% alc., the
wine aged approx. 10 months in 35% new oak, undergoing 100% MLF. 18.0-/20
Jun 2018 RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Gewurztraminer 2016

Gewurztraminer from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

19-/20

Full, even, light golden-hued yellow colour. The nose is softly full and voluminous, with
ripe, opulent aromas of tropical fruits along with rose-petals and Turkish
Delight, unfolding savoury musk notes, exotic florals and a little root ginger
adding interest. Medium in sweetness and
medium-full bodied, the palate has deeply rich, opulent and decadent flavours
of savoury tropical fruit, musk, wild honey, entwined with rose-petals and
Turkish Delight, and a complexing thread of root ginger. The mouthfeel has suggestions of unctuousness
and the fruit is underlined by a little alcoholic power. The acidity is soft and enhances the fruit
opulence and luscious textures. The
fruit carries to a very long, lush finish. This is a rich, lusciously opulent medium
Gewurztraminer with ripe tropical fruit, musk and Turkish Delight flavours with
notes of honey. Match with mildly spicy
Middle Eastern fare over the next 3-4 years. A blend predominantly of clone 1106 and 456
fruit, a late-picked portion of clone 456 indigenous yeast barrel-fermented, the
fruit fermented to 14.0% alc. and 11 g/L RS.
19.0-/20 Jun 2018 RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Gewurztraminer 2015

Gewurztraminer from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

18.5-/20

Bright
straw-yellow colour with lemon-gold hues.
The nose is fresh and taut with a fine and firm core of exotic florals,
rose-petals, citrus fruit, suggestions of herbs and nuts, and a steely edge
with mineral nuances. Medium in
sweetness and medium-full bodied, the palate has elegantly concentrated and
fine heart with soft-textures, showing flavours of rose-petals, exotic florals
and citrus fruit, along with refreshing and steely notes of herbs and minerals. The palate possesses richness and a degree of
lusciousness, the core unveiling spices and an array of florals. The wine flows smoothly with linearity along
a fine-textured line with soft acidity, leading to a lingering finish. This is an elegantly concentrated, rich,
medium Gewurztraminer with taut flavours of rose-petals, exotic florals, citrus
fruit, herbs and minerals forming a sleek mouthfeel and line. Serve with Asian fare over the next 4 years. Fruit fermented in tank with 15% in barrel to
14.0% alc. and 11 g/L RS. 18.5-/20 Jun 2018
RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2017

Pinot Noir from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

16.5/20

Garnet-red colour with some depth, lighter on the rim. The nose is soft with gently packed and
integrated aromas of savoury berry fruit along with a layering of earth and dried
and dark herbs, along with an amalgam of red florals and undergrowth elements. Medium-full bodied, the palate has soft,
savoury red berry fruit and dark-red floral lifted fruit harmoniously
interwoven with dark and dried herbs, a little earth, some game and nuances of cedar
adding detail. The fruit forms a softly
concentrated core with good integrated acidity and light, supple tannin
extraction. The wine carries to a light
finish. This is a soft and harmonious
Pinot Noir with savoury red berry and floral fruit with notes of herbs and
earth on a supple palate. Match with antipasto
and tapas over the next 3 years. Predominantly
clones 667 and 777, with Abel, 5 and 10/5, destemmed and indigenous yeast
fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 30% new French oak. 16.5/20
Jun 2018 RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2016

Pinot Noir from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

17.5+/20

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour, a little lighter on the
edge. The nose is fresh and firm with
very good depth and concentration of ripe dark-red cherry and berry fruit along
with notes of black plums and spices, unfolding some fresh, piquant dark
herbs. Some game notes unfold with
aeration. Medium-full bodied, the palate
has rich and sweet, juicy and vibrant fruit flavours of red berry fruit, dark
plums and subtle notes of savoury dark herbs and earth, unfolding spice nuances. The palate is bright and the mouthfeel has
good vitality and energy. The fruit is
supported by fine-grained tannin extraction with light, lacy acidity providing
freshness and energy. The wine carries
to a soft, lingering finish. This is a
bright and juicy, ripe Pinot Noir with cherry, berry and plum fruit flavours along
with dark herbs and earth unfolding floral and spices on a fine-textured
palate. Match with lamb, beef and
venison over the next 5 years. Predominantly
clones 667 and 777, with Abel, 5 and 10/5, destemmed and indigenous yeast
fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 30% new French oak. 17.5+/20
Jun 2018 RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016

Syrah from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

17.5/20

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour with slight purple hues, a
little lighter edged and youthful in appearance. The nose is elegantly presented with fresh,
fragrant aromas of dark raspberries and blackberries with notes of black
pepper, a little spice and some violet floral elements, unfolding a hint of
funky, savoury game. This has good depth
and presented harmoniously.
Medium-bodied, the palate has sweet, plush and luscious flavours of dark
raspberries and blackberries along with black pepper, spices and some game elements. The fruit is underlined by supple,
fine-grained tannins and softly fresh acidity lending a moderately fine line
with some grip. The wine carries to a
taut, lingering finish of blackberries, raspberries, earth and game. This is a sweet and plush Syrah with
blackberry and raspberry fruit along with spice, floral and funky game
suggestions on a fine palate with some grip,
Serve with Mediterranean fare over the next 4+ years. 100% Syrah, fully destemmed, given a cold
soak and indigenous yeast fermented to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 18 months in
30% new French oak. 17.5/20 Jun 2018
RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015

Syrah from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

18+/20

Full, even, dark, deep ruby-red colour with slight purple
hues, a little lighter on the edge. The
nose is firm and tightly bound with a core of ripe blackberry fruit along with
a complex amalgam of violet florals, black pepper, minerals and tar, along with
complexing earthy and reductive elements.
This is concentrated, intense and elegant. Medium-full bodied, the palate has a firm and
well-bound, well-concentrated palate with flavours of ripe black berried fruits
entwined with black pepper and minerals with a little tar and earth. The fruit forms an intensely deep, but elegantly
proportioned heart which is supported by fine-grained, flowery tannin
extraction with fine acid balance. This
has richness, structure and linearity, and carries to a sustained finish of
ripe black fruits and minerals. This is
a taut and concentrated ripe Syrah with rich fruit, mineral and tar notes on a
fine-grained, well-structured palate.
Match with lamb, beef and venison over the next 6-8 years. 97.5% Syrah and 2.5% Viognier, hand-picked
fruit, destemmed, given a cold soak and indigenous yeast co-fermented to13.0%,
the wine aged 18 months in 30% new French oak.
18.0+/20 Jun 2018 RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2016

Cabernet Franc from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

17.5+/20

Dark, deep, even ruby-red colour with black hues at the
heart, a little lighter edged. The nose
is full and broad with well-packed aromas of savoury dark-red berry fruit and
earthy notes along with subtle notes of black and redcurrants. This has depth and density. Medium-full bodied, the palate has a solid
but rounded core with flavours of dark-red berry fruit entwined with a layering
of soft dark and dried herbs, with earthy elements, unveiling some redcurrant
and blackcurrant notes. The fruit
sweetness grows as the wine flows. The
palate is underlined by fine-grained tannin extraction lending good structure
and grip, and the wine flows to a fulsome, broad, savoury finish. This is a well-packed, solid Cabernet Franc
with savoury berryfruit melded with herbs and earth on a well-structured
palate. Match with casseroles and
slow-cooked game meats over the next 5-6 years.
A blend of 93% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot, indigenous yeast fermented
to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 18 months in 38% new oak. 17.5/20RRP $22.90

Askerne Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc 2016

Blended Red from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay

18+/20

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour, a little lighter on the
rim. The nose is very elegant in
proportion with intense and vibrant aromas of dark-red berry-fruit and black
plums, along with blackcurrants, a little cassis with fresh mint and herb
elements. This has fragrance and
aromatic lift. Medium-full bodied, the
palate is bright and fresh with lively and aromatic fruit flavours of ripe,
dark-red berry fruit and black plums, along with notes of earth and blackcurrants,
entwined with fresh and dark herbs. The
fruit is sweet and lively and is enhanced by fresh lacy acidity and the wine
flows along a fine-grained tannin line, leading to a long, lingering finish of
sweet blackcurrants, black plums and aromatic herbs. This is a beautifully vibrant and lively
Merlot/Cabernet/Franc blend with bright berry fruit and herb notes on a
fine-grained palate with freshness. A
blend of 65.9% Merlot, 14.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.2% Cabernet Franc and 7.3%
Malbec, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 18 months in approx. 40% new
oak. 18.0+/20 Jun 2018
RRP $22.90

Full, even, dark, black-hued ruby-red colour with some
purple tints. The nose is deep with
concentrated aromas of ripe, dark-red and black-berried fruit along with black
plums intermixed with savoury berry fruits, earthy elements and a subtle
layering of dark herbs. Full-bodied, the
palate has rich and ripe, densely packed flavours of black plums and black
berried fruit with a layering of dark herbs and earth. The fruit has sweetness and vitality and is
supported by fine-grained tannin extraction lending balanced structure and
grip. Fresh acidity lends energy and
tension, and the concentrated flavours carry to a sweet, lingering blackcurrant
and plum-fruited finish. This is a rich
and densely-packed, vibrant Merlot/Franc/Cabernet blend with black fruits and
earth on a sweet palate with excellent structure and life. Match with roasted and grilled game meat
dishes and semi-hard cheeses over the next 6-8+ years. A blend of 42.8% Merlot, 28.6% Cabernet
Franc, and 14.3% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, fermented to 13.5% alc.,
the wine aged 18 months in 50% new oak. 18.5/20
Jun 2018 RRP $31.90